FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Sports

Ryan Lochte Expected to be "Summoned" Back to Brazil for Questioning

Ryan Lochte has been called back to Brazil to give further testimony about his fantastical night in Rio.
Rob Schumacher/Arizona Republic via USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Lochte's drunken night out in Rio continues to hang over his head.

Just when he (and we) thought, hey, maybe this whole story is over and everybody can move on, there's more news and it all gets refreshed. Lochte "has been summoned" by Brazilian authorities to return back to their country to speak with investigators about the night in question and give his testimony of the events, according to an ABC report. Lochte high-tailed it out of the country right after this whole thing first happened, while the three other swimmers stayed around. Now, the police want him back.

Advertisement

And just in case you don't remember what happened and why we're talking about this, let's have a quick flashback. Lochte became the dominant story of the second week of the Olympics this month because he told his mom and then everyone else that he and three other swimmers were robbed at gunpoint (with the gun pointed at his head and at which he calmly replied "Whatever") in Rio. Then he said that the gun wasn't pointed at his head. And then the police said the swimmers weren't robbed at all and were actually making a mess in a gas station and were confronted by security guards. The guards asked for money, which Lochte now admits knowing, contradicting his previous statement that the group was robbed.

Ok got all that? Having flashbacks yet?

Well in the midst of all that, Lochte was back in the United States and made himself unavailable for interrogation. Two of his fellow swimmers talked to the police in Rio and said Lochte pulled a sign off a wall at the gas station. Another, James Feigen, donated $11,000 to avoid charges of false reporting—the same crime Rio police recommended Lochte be charged with.

Whether he'll actually go back to Rio remains to be seen. This seems like a lot of hassle for Lochte to go through for what is still a minimal crime and there has been no signs of compulsion by the Brazilian government yet. But you can understand why the Rio police would be annoyed and want to complete their investigation, as well as keep pressuring the person who started this whole affair in the first place. It's just a headache that won't go away.

[ABC]